Surgical abdominal binder



Jan. 17, 1967 MOORE ET AL SURGICAL ABDOMINAL BINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Filed Dec. 14, 1964 BY MW/ A TTOHNEY Jan. 17,1967 ESMOORE ETAL 3,298,366

7 SURGICAL ABDOMINAL BINDER Fil ed Dec. 1.4, 1964 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTORS 5m) 5. #00 [5mm ,0. vsr/u ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,298,366 SURGICAL ABDOMINAL BINDER Emory S. Moore, 2005 E. Ocean Blvd., Balboa, Calif. 92661, and Esther M. Still, 1640 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, Calif. 90806 Filed Dec. 14,1964, Ser. No. 417,918 '4 Claims. (Cl. 128-157) This invention relates to a surgical abdominal binder of the type sometimes known as a Scultetus binder.

After abdominal surgery it is desirable to have an easily releasable abdominal binder of soft material, exterior to other bandages, to comfortably support the patient in a supine position. Such a binder should be easily adjusted at the time of application to the particular size and shape of a patients torso.

One object of the invention is to provide a surgical abdominal binder which in use remains smooth and nonwrinkled in the main body member. Another object is to provide fabric means stitched to the tails of a Scultetus binder which permits easy fastening and release, and which adjusts the fastening of the tails to any desired length. A further object is to provide, in a Scultetus binder, wide tails which provide wide overlap of adjacent tails, thus making the binder conform securely to the contour of the torso on which it is applied.

These and other objects are attained by our invention, which will be understood from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of our new binder with parts turned back to show underside construction;

FIG. 2 is a perspective disassembly of the binder;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and showing a first tail and an overlapping adjacent tail;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1, showing a first tail and an adjacent overlapping tail;

FIG. 5 is a cross'sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1, showing a first tail and an adjacent overlapping tail;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the application of one pair of tails to form a cylinder-like body (as 011 a torso, not shown); and

FIG. is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6, showing one edge of one tail as assembled in cylinder-like form.

Referring to the drawings, the preferred form of the binder of this invention consists of a rectangular back panel 11 of soft tfa'bric, such as cotton flannel, which is attached by stitching 12 to the central portion of a parallel series of overlapping soft cloth strips 13 to provide underlying tails 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 on the lefthand side, as shown, and overlying tails 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 on the right-hand side. Stiffeners 25 or bones are provided for the back panel 11, these being disposed between the rectangular cloth and the underlying central portion of the overlapping cloth strips 13 and held in place by stitching 26 adjacent the edges and ends of said stiffeners 25. Diagonal stitching 27 may also be provided to prevent puckering of the back panel 11, and to resist its distortion by diagonal stretching.

The stiifeners or bones may consist of springy metal or plastic members, and are preferably flat and thin enough so that they will not be uncomfortable for the patient, when embedded in the back member 11. Stiifeners or bones are well known in corsetry and many specific forms are known and available for use in holding the back panel flat and to prevent gathering of the cloth.

See

It will be understood that any number of strips 13 may be used, but the usual range is from 4 to 8, and the width of each strip is selected to provide an overlapping binder large enough to enclose the abdomen. The individual strips 13 are each overlapped laterally for about one-half their width, this being necessary to provide sufficient cloth width to cover and conform to the contours of the particular torso on which the binder is being used, and to have sufficient overlap in use to frictionally hold together the adjoining tail edges.

Nylon fastener tapes or patches are attached to the tails to provide adjustable fastening means. The preferred nylon fasteners, known in the trade as Velcro fasteners, consist of opposed pieces of special nylon fabrics, one having a facing of tiny hooks and the other having tiny loops. When the two materials are pressed together, the hooks are engaged in the loops and because there are no many hooks and loops, the patches (and the tails to which they are attached) are held securely. The juxtaposed patches may be disengaged by forcibly pulling them apart from one end or edge.

As shown in the drawings, the hook fabric patches 30, 31 and 28 are attached, for example by stitching, to the underfaces of the left-hand tails 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, being disposed adjacent to the edges of the strips. The patches are disposed lengthwise and preferably at positrons terminating adjacent the back portion 11.

As shown in the drawings, the loop fabric patches 34, 35 and 29 are attached as by stitching to the top faces of the right-hand tails 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23, and are disposed adjacent to the edges of the strips. The loop patches are disposed lengthwise and near the ends of the tails. The pairs of patches are applied to each of the tails.

In the preferred form, the hook patches 30 and 31 and the correseponding loop patches 34 and 35, on the upper pair of tails 14 and 19 are inset from the edges to avoid abrasions.

Both the loop and the hook patches are made of suffic ent length and so disposed that they provide the desired longitudinal adjustability in the attachment of one tail to its corresponding other tail. Long lengths of the patches for about one-quarter to one-third of the circumference of the torso, are preferred to prevent lateral separation of the adjacent tails, and to give maximum adjustability.

It is contemplated that variations in the dimensions and proportions may be made without departing from the essential structure of our invention. The advantages will be apparent, especially in the prevention of wrinkling and puckering of the back portion, and in the wide tails with wide overlap of the tails. The application of the nylon fasteners along both edges of the tails permits easy fastening and unfastening without discomfort to the patient. The binders are intended to be laundered, sterilized and re-used.

We claim:

1. An abdominal binder for use after surgery comprising a fabric back panel adapted to be placed under a patient in supine position; a plurality of pairs of strips of cloth disposed in longitudinally parallel overlapping relation and attached at one strip end of each pair to opposite side edges of said back panel; each of said pairs of strips being adapted to encircle a patients torso in longitudinal overlapping relation, and each strip except the first, extending from each side of said back panel, overlapping the margin of the preceding strip in sequence for the width of the binder; and releasable fastener means for fastening together said strip pairs disposed in opposed endwise relation.

2. An abdominal binder for use after surgery comprising a fabric back panel adapted to be placed under a patient in supine position; a plurality of pairs of strips of cloth disposed in longitudinally parallel overlapping relation and attached at one strip end of each pair to opposite side edges of said back panel; each of said pairs of strips being adapted to encircle a patients torso in longitudinal overlapping relation, and each strip except the first, extending from each side of said back panel, overlapping the margin of the preceding strip in sequence for the Width of the binder; and releasable fastener means for fastening together said strip pairs disposed in opposed endwise relation along at least a portion of the long edges thereof.

3. An abdominal binder for use after surgery comprising a substantially rectangular cloth back panel; a plurality of long strips of cloth disposed in longitudinally parallel overlapping relation underneath said back portion and fastened thereto by stitching, portions of strips extending for long lengths beyond said panel; stiffener members disposed across said strips between said back panel and said assembly of strips, and securely fastened thereto; the portions of said strips extending beyond said back panel constituting opposed pairs of tails each pair being adapted to encircle a patients torso in longitudinal overlapping relation, and each adjoining pair of tails marginally overlapping the preceding pair of tails in the sequence of pairs of tails for the Width of the binder; and releasable fastener means for fastening together said tails disposed in opposed endwise relation along at least a portion of the long edges thereof.

4. An abdominal binder for use after surgery comprising a substantially rectangular cloth back panel; a plurality of long strips of cloth disposed in longitudinally parallel overlapping relation underneath said back portion and fastened thereto by stitching, portions of strips extending for long lengths beyond said panel; stiffener members disposed across said strips between said back panel and said assembly of strips, and securely fastened thereto; the portions of said strips extending beyond said back panel constituting opposed pairs of tails each pair being adapted to encircle a patients torso in longitudinal overlapping relation, and each adjoining pair of tails marginally overlapping the preceding pair of tails in the sequence of pairs of tails for the Width of the binder; and releasable nylon fabric hook and loop fastener patches attached to opposite tails along the edges thereof for at least a portion of their length, to provide secure fastening of the tails around the patient.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 911,780 2/1909 Thomas 128-l69 1,172,859 2/1916 Yamashita 128579 2,310,864 2/1943 Pegg 12896 X ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ABDOMINAL BINDER FOR USE AFTER SURGERY COMPRISING A FABRIC BACK PANEL ADAPTED TO BE PLACED UNDER A PATIENT IN SUPINE POSITION; A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF STRIPS OF CLOTH DISPOSED IN LONGITUDINALLY PARALLEL OVERLAPPING RELATION AND ATTACHED AT ONE STRIP END OF EACH PAIR TO OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES OF SAID BACK PANEL; EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF STRIPS BEING ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLE A PATIENT''S TORSO IN LONGITUDINAL OVERLAPPING RELATION, AND EACH STRIP EXCEPT THE FIRST, EXTENDING FROM EACH SIDE OF SAID BACK PANEL, OVERLAPPING THE MARGIN OF THE PRECEDING STRIP IN SEQUENCE FOR THE WIDTH OF THE BINDER; AND RELEASABLE FASTENER MEANS FOR FASTENING TOGETHER SAID STRIP PAIRS DISPOSED IN OPPOSED ENDWISE RELATION. 